Friday, December 18, 2015

An Elizabeth man and reputed associate of the DeCavalcante crime
family pleaded guilty in federal court to distributing cocaine with
eight other family associates, authorities said.
James Heeney, 36, appeared before U.S. District JudgeWilliam H. Walls and admitted his role in distributing more than 500 grams of the drug, U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman said today.
Heeney, who is the second Union County resident to plead guilty in
the conspiracy, admitted that between August 2012 and March 2013, he and
other family members sold more than a half a kilo of cocaine to an
undercover FBI agent for at least $30,000, authorities said.
According to the documents filed in court, Heeney was arrested and
charged by complaint in March 2015, along with eight members of the
DeCavalcante crime family.

When he is sentenced next March, Heeney faces a maximum possible punishment of 40 years in prison, authorities said.
The investigation of the drug conspiracy involved the FBI, the New
Jersey State Commission of Investigation, the Waterfront Commission of
the New York Harbor and Union County Prosecutor's Office, Fishman said.
Earlier this year, Nicholas DeGidio, 37, of Union Township, also pleaded guilty to a single count of distributing more than 500 grams of cocaine.